Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-17
NEW YORK LETTER.
THE GREAT DIVA PArrI-sow SIZE
WAS REcESrLY RECEIVED.
Hoaxss Played Upon Nswspspsrs-A BRA
matte Centennial eminis'
cences Of Raymond.

There was an extraordinary contrast
nj the Metropolitan Opera House Mon
day night. Patti was singing Ira
yiata." II was her first appearance III
New York in the magnifcentnew opera
house, and the occasion was gala one
All the old opcra-coers who were Tor
merly such staunch supporters OF the
Academy of Music, anu who have been
the personal friends and fervid a1mi-
r.rs of Mime. hde.ina Patti ever since
she made her first appearance
here, twenty-five years ago, were
there. Every seat was occupied and
the boxes were crowded by the
fashion. beauty. and wealth OF New York.
II WAS such throng as never turned
ont for German opera. Mapleson's re-
heated failures dragged Patti down
several seasons ago, and this occasion
was seized upon for Patti ovation.
AS for the diva herself, she is as young,
sprightly, and graceful AS ever, while
her marvellous voice possesses oil It's
old-time flexibility, beauty, parity, and
force. She is the eighth wonder OF the
world, for the luxuries of pampered
life. the adulation OF the civilized
world, from mon1rchs to paupers, and
the fierce strain OF incessant publicity,
have left her at the age of forty-three
as child-like, Joyous, and radiant as a
dSbutdnte at her first ball. Other great
opers-singers have grown wheezy, TAT,
unwieldy, cranky, and sordid, and what
not, at the age of thirty, and none has
reached her fortieth year and still re-
tanned not only Ter youth and beauty,
but still held position Of unassailable
eminence in the artistic world. Patti
is to-day the greatest of prima donnas,
Just as she was quarter OF a century
ago.
The curtain had gone down on the
second act and the applause was almost
deaiening. Voices rose in sharp
"bravos' from various parts olthe house
and hundreds OF women leaned from
their boxes, beaming upon the idol OF
the hour. The ,tago was deluged with
flowers. and even the orchestra had
caught the excitement. All alone IN the
middle of the stage was Patti, bowling
and courtesying before the tribute OF
spontaneous admiration fromthe frantic
thousands packed in the gilded opera
house.
AsAD CONTRAST.
went out into the lobby, where the
roars of applause still followed me, and
Was going toward the smoking-room
when man caught my arm and said
half-savagely
Good God, what q sight that is.
followed the direction OF his eyes
and saw Selma Dolaro standing at the
entrance OF the opera-house, gazing
with rapt and eager look at the inte-
nor of the house. The roar reached
her ears. Her big black eyes blazed
with the excitement of the moment.
She leaned heavily against the door
way. Her face was wasted aud
white. She seemed to be drinking in
the echo Of the roaring applause.
Il spoke to her a moment ago,
continued the clubman, still clasplng
my ann convulsively. 81 asked her
how she was, and she said simply, I'm
q dead woman walking Broadway,
els she alone?
"No. There's sn escort further back.
See how she moves up to hear the APP
plause. remember when she was as
much the idol OF London as Patti Is OF
New York tonight. What a beautiful
woman she was, too
A thousand scenes shifted through
nv mind as | stood there looking at the
wreck of one of the most beautiful wo-
men who ever graced the New York
stage. For long time Selma Dolaro
was the rage. At the very height OF her
fame she was stricken down by haSty
consumption. The rsvages OF the
disease were awful. The dramatic pro-
fession, which 10 always generous to the
unfortunate. extended a helping hand
10 her in her need. She had not been
seen in public for a long time until she
managed to go to the opera house that
night, She stood without the portals,
a shadow of her former self, listening
TO the echoes Of the triumphant success
within.
HOW NEWSPAPERS ARE HoAXED.
TIE recent hoax whereby the Ere
nina Sun. Of New York, was lured mt
printing an scroftic that was extremel,
upcomplimentGry to Mr.. Dana, recalls
number Of such jokes which have
uassed into newspaper history. Many
an editor has been victimized by com
munication. which he did not kno"
were loaded. Most OF these have beer
coarse. many obscene. and few
really witty. The perpetrators o
these acts are seldom detected, though
extraordinary efforts have been mad'
in many cases. About a century ag'
however, a woman in Germany was con
yicted of having changed a sentence
addressed to Eve. in Genesis, IN whlcl
man is spoken OF as lord OF the woman
And he shall be thy lord. This pas
sage she made to read. 10y changing tn
word "herr to "narr, " Andhe snal
be thy fool" AS the Greek of ola wa
tired of hearing Aristides called tn
Just. so this German woman was TIRE
of hearing man Landed as the superb
Of woman. The authorities were so hoi
lifed Mt her revised edition OF Genesl
that she was hanged.
JOKING RIVALS.
SOmetilnth newspapers Pi"s
on one another. Two Troy papers WEI
sharp rivals, and one years ago had
special edition OF one copy dellyere
at the door of the other containing ID
most startling canards that waggish cat
editors and fertileminded reporter
could invent. The victim swallowe
the bait. hook and all, and came OF
with an extra-wild firing headlines, an
dealing plague, pestilence and iamin.
death aad destruction. right and left J
every line. When the truth was di
covered the editors of the enterpusln
Trojan papers were ready to seek car.
fully and with tears for small no
giving immediate access down tnrou9
TO China.
The New York tribune was on'
badly deceived by a waggish corr
spondent in ireland. He sent d
tailed and very readable account OF
battle in ireland. The CORY field boz
the significant name of Slievenagamo9i
No such battle had ever been Tough
II WAS three days before the hoax WI
discovered, and then the windows IA
fed in the Tribune office. Engll'
neWspaper.men are perhaps more l
ol;,ed ~ nranks of this sort than the